


He Promised

by imabignerd



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Death, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!, M/M, Oneshot, zombie apocalypse AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-10
Updated: 2015-09-10
Packaged: 2018-04-20 01:30:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4768472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imabignerd/pseuds/imabignerd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>“Kurokocchi,” Kise answered teasingly, before digging his nose deeper into Kuroko's mess of hair. He wrinkled his nose as the strands tickled the tip. They were still of the same familiar softness Kise always remembered them to be, somehow; it had to have been at least a fortnight since they had managed to find water to wash up in. </p>
  <p>At Kise’s response, Kuroko sighed, his breath warm and humid against Kise’s collarbone. He pushed gently against Kise’s shoulder. "Let go of me. You smell."</p>
</blockquote>Kise promised he'd smile for Kuroko the whole way through, all the way to the end.
            </blockquote>





	He Promised

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Chrystie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chrystie/gifts).



"Kise-kun."

Kuroko's voice, soft and rasping, broke the silence of the warehouse. He was tense in Kise's arms, even as he squirmed slightly in an attempt to look Kise in the eye. 

“Kurokocchi,” Kise answered teasingly, before digging his nose deeper into Kuroko's mess of hair. He wrinkled his nose as the strands tickled the tip. They were still of the same familiar softness Kise always remembered them to be, somehow; it had to have been at least a fortnight since they had managed to find water to wash up in. 

At Kise’s response, Kuroko sighed, his breath warm and humid against Kise’s collarbone. He pushed gently against Kise’s shoulder. "Let go of me. You smell."

Hiding his emotions, as always. That was hardly the real reason he wanted Kise off, and they both knew it. Kise pouted petulantly, even though he was well aware the other couldn’t see. 

He’d listen to Kuroko, though. He always did. Kise allowed himself one more deep breath in, tightening his arms around the smaller male’s shoulders, before letting go. 

“Kurokocchiiii,” he whined piteously, plopping himself onto the floor next to Kuroko with a small ‘oof’. “Don’t be so cold!”

“I’m not being cold,” was the immediate answer. “It’s the truth. You smell.” 

Kise didn’t miss the small smile Kuroko gave him, and he sent a bright beaming grin of his own back. He settled down and nestled himself against Kuroko’s warm side, even when he received an exasperated glance for his efforts. Though Kuroko didn’t want him too close, Kise still reveled in the proximity. This way, he could at least feel some semblance of physical comfort, even if it’s just through the wracking vibrations of the other’s small frame during his coughing fits.

“Say, Kurokocchi …” he began, looking down at his companion.

“Hmmm?”

“Wouldn’t it be nice if Aominecchi was here? He could find us some wood and could start a fire, or something,” he mused. Brightening momentarily, Kise nudged Kuroko playfully with his shoulder. “Remember when he’d set his clothes on fire by accident?”

Kuroko let out a small laugh. “Aomine-kun had screamed like a little girl.”

Kise snickered fondly at the memory. “Nigou had to jump on him to smother the fire. Ahhh, what would we have done without Nigou?” he reminisced.

“I’m pretty sure Nigou had pushed Aomine-kun into the fire, so it was probably his fault in the first place,” Kuroko reminded him. 

Kise grinned down at the head of blue hair that rested against his shoulder. “If Nigou didn’t push him, we wouldn’t have had this memory of Aominecchi, now would we?” When Kuroko snorted indelicately, he continued smugly, “I rest my case.”

“I suppose you’re not wrong, though -” Kuroko stopped to cough into his hand. Kise wrapped an arm around the other’s shoulders, nuzzling his face into Kuroko’s hair comfortingly. He was startled by how small Kuroko had become. He’d always been of rather delicate stature, but - was he always this thin? 

It was hardly surprising though. No one ate well anymore, not when they had to scavenge for anything that was even vaguely edible. Speaking of which -

“Ahhh, I wish I still had that spear,” Kise said wistfully. “I could spear a rabbit or something for us.”

Kuroko cocked an eyebrow from where he was tucked snugly against Kise, looking thoroughly skeptical even when his eyes were closed. “You have a gun, Kise-kun. As well as several knives.”

Kise pouted. “Yes, but that spear was a real beauty. It’s just not the same without her, Kurokocchi.”

“Until you nearly stabbed Midorima-kun, and Akashi-kun confiscated it.”

He allowed himself a tiny smirk at the memory. Midorima had directed a lengthy harangue at him after the incident, but it was honestly kind of worth it. He was being a bit of a prat about the practicality of his spear. “In my defence, Midorimacchi appeared out of nowhere.” He sighed. “He _knew_ I was testing it out, so why’d he prance in front of me like that?” 

Kuroko hummed noncommittally. “Sure, Kise-kun.”

Kise continued, pout back in full force and petulant as ever. “I never did find out what Akashicchi did with the spear. I can’t believe he just took her away like that. Do you know how much effort I put into making that thing?” he lamented dramatically. 

“A lot, presumably,” Kuroko contributed. 

Kise looked down at him worriedly. Kuroko’s voice was beginning to sound distinctly fainter than usual, his responses clipped and tired. He soldiered on though. Kuroko had told him that he didn’t want him to spend his time clucking around him like a mother duck, and he planned to make good on his promises. “Exactly. All those materials, just wasted.” 

"Hmmm."

He stared up at the ceiling contemplatively. “We never did find out what happened to Akashicchi, huh. Where do you think he went?”

All he got in response was shallow breathing.

“Kurokocchi?” he tried, twisting around awkwardly to peer in his companion’s face. Was Kuroko’s face always this ashen? Maybe it was the lighting. It had to be the lighting.

(It most definitely wasn’t the lighting, and Kise knew it.)

Beginning to feel panic twist and bubble up his windpipe now - because _oh god this wasn’t supposed to happen so fast_ \- he turned fully to grab Kuroko’s arm with one hand to steady him, and placed the other one on Kuroko’s face to lift it upwards. His fingers came away slick with sweat; how had he not noticed this? “Come on, Kurokocchi, stay with me now -”

“Kise-kun?” Kuroko mumbled, eyes sliding open into slits.

Kise sagged with relief. “Kurokocchi, don’t fall asleep, not yet, okay?” he whispered consolingly, peering down into the other’s face. He _can’t_ go to sleep, _he can’t –_

Kuroko hissed, eyes snapping open. “Kise-kun, _wound.”_

Kise looked down to see his hand wound tight around Kuroko’s forearm. With a yelp, he tugged his hand away, revealing the angry curling bite that stood starkly against the pale hue of Kuroko’s skin. It was festering, he realized. What was just a bite - just a _bite; what a joke -_ had begun to grow white specks, the edges of the wound hardening into an ugly blackish-purple crust. He looked away pointedly. He didn’t want to see this.

Kuroko stared at him, his brow furrowed oh so very slightly. ( _Concern,_ Kise recognized. He was concerned even when his chest was heaving with the effort to breathe.) He sighed, and looked down at his arms. “Stop crying,” he muttered. _You said you wouldn’t cry,_ hung unsaid and heavy in the air around them.

Immediately, he raised his hands to wipe at his face. They came away wet. “A-ah. Sorry.”

Kuroko hummed, his eyes beginning to slide closed again. “Stop,” he said again, the word slurring slightly.

Kise sniffed again. “Hey, Kurokocchi?”

“Hm?”

He forced a smile back onto his face - he’d _promised,_ after all. “When we get out of here, let’s head to the docks. Maybe we can find a boat that’s still working, and then we can head out of this place. Start anew, maybe find some other survivors, you know? I’ll make another spear, one that’s even better than the last one. If you want, I could make one for you too,” he said cheerily. 

For a moment, he thought Kuroko was going to protest. He’d looked up at Kise with one of _those_ looks – that painfully familiar fond exasperated look that he knew he was going to miss forever – but it gave. Kuroko looked down instead with a sigh. "That would be nice."

“Wouldn’t it? We’ll be on the road again in no time.”

Kuroko coughed – a violent fit this time, the sound harsh and grating against his throat. He winced. “Ki – Ki – _Ryouta,”_ he finished firmly, forcing his eyes open to look Kise in the eye. “Don’t forget.”

Kise could feel his eyes sting – their company had always called him a crybaby, but _damnit, _he was going to uphold his promise. He had to do this. He forced a smile, the movement feeling heavily awkward and clumsy on his face. “Yeah, Kurokocchi. I-I won’t.”__

The smaller male let out a sigh, leaning back against the dusty wall. “Good,” he mumbled, all out of energy as he let his eyes slide closed. “M’tired.” 

Kise swallowed hard, his throat inordinately dry. “It’s okay. Go to sleep, Kurokocchi. I’ve got you.” He put one hand over Kuroko’s and squeezed – his hand was so _cold_ – and reached backwards with his other. He felt the smooth metal sitting in his back pocket, and fumbled to take it out. 

He sat like that, hands slick with sweat, one on Kuroko’s, and the other tense on the cool metal of his gun. Only when Kuroko raised his head once again with a guttural groan, his eyes blank and unseeing, did he raise his gun, close his eyes, and shoot. 

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRYSTY
> 
> I'm so sorry this is late, it took longer than expected :'D I was kind of considering doing another story, 'cause angst felt a little strange as a birthday gift, but i wAS TOLD YOU DIG ANGST SO HERE YOU ARE I'M SORRY
> 
> i'll come back and edit it in the morn OTL


End file.
